President appoints Justice Yahya Afridi as next CJP

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has appointed Justice Yahya Afridi as the next chief justice of Pakistan, who will take over the reins from incumbent CJP Qazi Faez Isa.

Justice Afridi has been appointed for a fixed three-year term starting on October 26, according to a statement from the Aiwan-e-Sadr released Wednesday morning.

The appointment was made in accordance with Articles 175A(3), 177, and 179 of the Constitution, with Justice Afridi set to take the oath of office on October 26, the statement added.

Who is Yahya Afridi, the new Chief Justice?

Earlier the special parliamentary committee nominated Justice Yahya Afridi as next chief justice of Pakistan. 

The committee was formed following the 26th amendment and it comprised of representatives from both the National Assembly and the Senate. It comprised of MNAs Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Rana Ansar, Gohar Ali Khan, Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza, and Senators Farooq Hameed Naik, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Syed Ali Zafar and Kamran Murtaza.

The two other judges in contention were Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Munib Akhtar. The outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is set to retire on Oct 25.